Spring
by Halicarnassus
Summary: Hatori falls ill and it's up to Shigure, Ayame and Tohru to nurse the dragon back to health. Spring finally comes to Hatori's world. Sometimes love is just a hug away. But is he ready for this second chance?
1. Default Chapter

Spring by Halicarnassus  
  
Cannon. Fruits Basket.  
  
Summary: Hatori falls ill and it's up to Shigure, Ayame and Tohru to nurse the dragon back to health. Spring finally comes to Hatori's world. Sometimes love is just a hug away. But is he ready for this second chance?  
  
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and its characters are the property of Natsuki Takaya  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Snow blanketed the vast Sohma estate forcing many of its inhabitants to turn up the heater and toss on another layer of clothing. A tall man in a lab coat did neither though he could feel the cold seep through his bones.  
  
Hatori Sohma put down the medical chart he'd been perusing and looked at the falling snow. Akito, the head of the family, once remarked that he was cold like snow.  
  
To keep the family secret, it was Hatori's task to suppress people's memories whenever Akito ordered him to. He did it without remorse. Until Kana came into his life.  
  
He likened her to spring and for one brief moment, they dreamed of a life together. But it wasn't meant to be. To save her from further pain, he erased her memories of their time together. She left and he was alone again.  
  
He prayed that she would find happiness again even if it meant spending the rest of his life surrounded by unmelting snow. And so she did. Kana married someone else and was now expecting her second child.  
  
He told himself he was happy for her. The Gods answered his prayer so he prepared to hold up his end of the bargain. A lifetime of solitude beckoned.  
  
Still, there were times when Hatori wondered if he was fine with the way things were. Especially when she was around. Tohru Honda had a knack for saying things the Sohmas wanted to hear. Two years ago, he asked her the same question Kana posed to him when they first met.  
  
"When snow melts, what do you think it becomes?"  
  
"It becomes spring," she said, just as Kana did years ago. But she went further.  
  
"No matter how cold it is now, spring will come again. Without fail,'' Tohru said, smiling.  
  
Whenever he remembered that incident, hope rose in him that maybe he would find someone again. He suspected this was the effect she had on other members of the zodiac. She gave them hope.  
  
Like many of the Sohmas, Hatori was fond of Tohru. He didn't know what Akito thought of her since the clan head kept his own counsel. To be honest, Hatori didn't much care what Akito thought so long as the moody young man didn't hurt Tohru.  
  
He could tell that Yuki and Kyo love her. But the rat was too shy to declare his love and the cat would rather cut off his own tongue than admit he felt the same. Tohru seemed oblivious to the situation and didn't favor one over the other.  
  
His musings were interrupted by the phone ringing.  
  
"Haa-san?,'' Shigure whined. "Would you mind coming over? Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun got into another fight and Tohru-kun got hurt."  
  
Those idiots, Hatori thought. But he kept the annoyance out of his voice when he answered Shigure.  
  
"I'll be there in an hour."  
  
"You never grant my requests that quickly. Is it because of Tohru-kun? You naughty man, trying to steal my young wife."  
  
Hatori held his tongue. He was used to the dog's teasing.  
  
"I was right, wasn't I? Tsk tsk Haa-san. You're eleven years older than our little flower."  
  
"Stop babbling nonsense. I'll see you in an hour." He hung up on the dog.  
  
Hatori could hear Yuki and Kyo arguing as he approached the house.  
  
"Stupid cat. Look what you did to Honda-san."  
  
"Don't put all the blame on me, you damn rat!"  
  
"Yuki-kun, Kyo-kun I'm fine really. Don't worry about me. It's my fault for getting in the way."  
  
Hatori smiled. Typical Tohru, always apologizing. He knocked and the door was flung open by Kyo.  
  
"Well it's about time Hatori."  
  
The orange-haired teen looked at him with guilty eyes so Hatori passed him by without comment and went in search of his patient. Tohru was in the living room, sporting a big bump on her head and a right hand loosely wrapped in bandages. Yuki hovered near her, concern written all over his face. She saw Hatori and smiled.  
  
"Hatori-san! What brings you here?"  
  
"You," he said, put down his doctor's bag and started checking her injuries.  
  
"I'm so sorry you had to come here on such a cold day. I was stupid enough to drop some glasses then try to pick up the broken pieces."  
  
"But Honda-san, it's Kyo's fault the glasses got broken. He crashed through the sliding door and you got pushed into a wall,'' Yuki said.  
  
"You kicked me, you damn rat!"  
  
"Then you need to train more stupid cat."  
  
"Stop calling me stupid!"  
  
"If the shoe fits..."  
  
A grinning Shigure walked into the room.  
  
"I knew you would slog your way through the freezing snow for Tohru- kun. Make sure you treat her like the delicate flower she is, Haa-san."  
  
"What are you talking about," Kyo snarled at the dog.  
  
Hatori wanted to jab Shigure with the biggest needle in his bag but decided to ignore him and the squabbling cat and rat. He carefully felt the bump on Tohru's head, removed the bandages from her hand, treated the deep cut and bandaged it properly. Then he checked her for any other contusions and cuts.  
  
"The bump should be gone in a day or two. Use this on the wound, it should be healed in a week. Change the bandages every day and don't get it wet. Have someone else do the dishes,'' he told her as he handed over a tube of ointment. He grabbed his bag and stood up.  
  
"How much do I owe you, Hatori-san?"  
  
"No charge. Just take care of yourself. Seems a lot of people get rattled when you're hurt,'' he said and prepared to leave. He needed to get back to the main house.  
  
Tohru looked embarassed. Shigure cleared his throat, drawing attention to himself.  
  
"Why don't you stay for breakfast Haa-san? I'm sure Tohru-kun would love to thank you with a home-cooked meal."  
  
Tohru waited expectantly for an answer. When Hatori slowly nodded, she smiled brightly at him. The dragon found himself smiling back. Akito could wait.  
  
Breakfast was delicious. It had been awhile since he'd eaten such a meal. Even the food at the main house paled in comparison to Tohru's cooking. He sipped his tea and eyed his cousins. He envied them. They didn't have to live at the main house and deal with Akito every day. And they had her.  
  
As he was leaving, she ran up to him with a wrapped parcel.  
  
"Hatori-san, I made you a bento for lunch. It's nothing special but I hope you like it."  
  
"That's very thoughtful of you Honda-kun. Thank you."  
  
He accepted the parcel then placed it and his bag on a table. Acting on impulse, he took her uninjured hand and squeezed it briefly. A blushing Tohru slowly withdrew her hand, stammered a goodbye and fled to the kitchen.  
  
Shigure, who saw what happened, grinned at Hatori. He wagged a finger at the dragon.  
  
"Now, now Haa-san. Don't you charm our little flower away from us. Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun would never forgive you."  
  
Hatori pretended he didn't hear Shigure and left.  
  
As she tidied up the kitchen, Tohru wondered why she got so flustered at what Hatori did. He was just thanking her for the bento. Still, the doctor she knew wasn't into open displays of affection. She'd never even seen him hug any of the other members of the zodiac.  
  
That night at the Sohma estate, Hatori stood in the yard as snow fell softly around him. Was being alone the price he paid for erasing other people's memories? Was he fine with the way things were? He held out a hand and watched as snowflakes landed on his palm and melted. An image of Tohru's smiling face appeared in his mind.  
  
He brushed the snow from his hair and walked back to his empty house. He didn't bother to change out of his damp clothes and went to bed. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and its characters are the property of Natsuki Takaya  
  
Tomorrow was Valentine's Day. Yuki wasn't looking forward to being hounded by chocolate-carrying fan girls. And Kyo dreaded Kagura's arrival.  
  
They didn't expect any chocolates from Tohru however. When the Sohmas realized that she spent her hard-earned money on chocolates for them two years ago, they forbid her from doing such a thing again. Still Tohru was Tohru. This year, she planned on making a special dinner for her roomates and the odd guest or two. She expected Kagura to drop by tomorrow for Valentine's Day.  
  
She went shopping for groceries. At the store, she made a beeline for the candy section. She was trying to decide what to get her friends, Saki Hanajima and Arisa Uotani, when her eye fell on a box of Belgian chocolates shaped like sea creatures. The sea horse reminded her of Hatori. She quickly put the Belgian chocolates in her shopping cart along with two boxes of chocolate-covered cherries for her best friends. Humming, she went in search of the ingredients for tonight and tomorrow's dinners.  
  
The dreaded day arrived. As expected, the Prince Yuki Fan Club followed their idol around campus clutching bags or boxes.Yuki sighed. His shoe locker was already crammed with chocolates. For once, his admirers didn't try to toss out each other's gifts in favor of their own.  
  
Girls smitten with Kyo's charms cornered him at his desk and presented him with chocolates. He ignored them all. He just wanted to get home as soon as possible. When the bell rang, Kyo was the first to run out the door.  
  
When he spotted no Kagura waiting by the school gate, he breathed a sigh of relief. But his face fell when he got home and saw who was in the kitchen.  
  
"Kyo-kun my love!,'' Kagura squealed and gave him a bone-crushing hug.  
  
"Hey! Let go! I can't breathe,'' he gasped out.  
  
"But Kyo-kun, aren't you glad to see me on Valentine's Day?"  
  
"No! Let go I said!,'' he struggled in her embrace.  
  
Kagura's eyes flashed and her voice deepened. "Never!" she intoned.  
  
Shigure entered the kitchen and spotted the struggling couple.  
  
"Kagura, ease up a little on Kyo-kun. He's turning purple already."  
  
As soon as Kagura loosened her embrace, Kyo broke free and ran. She chased him. Shigure was still chuckling when Tohru and Yuki arrived home. They were so used to Kagura's antics that Yuki merely greeted his cousin with a nod before going to his room to change. Tohru put away her school bag and prepared dinner. She had everything ready in an hour and a half. The smells coming from the kitchen drew everyone to the table.  
  
"Oh Tohru-kun. I hope you don't mind but I invited Haa-san to join us for dinner,'' Shigure said as he took his place at the table.  
  
"No of course not. There's plenty of food. I'm glad you invited him."  
  
"Really? Why?,'' the dog slyly asked.  
  
"Umm...well I think Hatori-san is lonely and needs ..."  
  
She was cut off by the phone ringing.  
  
"Moshi moshi. Aya! Mon amour! To what do I owe this pleasure? What about Haa-san? I see."  
  
The sudden change in Shigure's tone caught everyone's attention. Tohru started imagining the worst possible scenarios. She could feel her chest tighten.  
  
"I'll be there soon."  
  
Shigure returned to the table where he was met by curious looks.  
  
"Aya found Haa-san sick in bed. They think it's a bad cold. After dinner, I'm going to the main house to help tend to him."  
  
"Poor Hatori-san! I'll come with you to help,'' Tohru offered. "But shouldn't we leave now?"  
  
"I'll just get a bite to eat first, Tohru-kun."  
  
"Who is going to take care of Akito with Hatori sick?," Yuki asked. He really didn't give a hoot if their "God" keeled over and died within the hour. But curiousity drove him to ask the question.  
  
"I suppose Akito-san will just have to make do with the servants and the rest of the family until Haa-san gets well. If Akito-san gets worse, maybe Haa-san can recommend another doctor? But let's not think about such things. It'll be fine."  
  
Shigure got skeptical looks in return. The dog decided to change the subject.  
  
"My my Tohru-kun. You certainly outdid yourself. Everything looks delicious. Let's eat everyone. The sooner we eat, the sooner I can leave."  
  
They quickly gave thanks for the food and dug in.  
  
Since Kagura insisted on clearing the table and washing the dishes, Tohru made leek porridge instead. She also packed a bag with her toothbrush, some clothes and the Belgian chocolates. She and Shigure then set off and arrived at the doctor's house within an hour. A distraught Ayame met them at the door.  
  
"Gure-san! I thought you'd never come!" the snake said.  
  
Shigure stopped smiling immediately.  
  
"Is Haa-san that sick?," he asked quietly.  
  
"Oh he's sleeping right now. But my poor nerves are shot from all the worrying,'' Ayame said and leaned against the door frame, the very picture of exhaustion.  
  
Shigure rolled his eyes.  
  
"Ayame-san, are you sick too? Would you like some leek porridge? I made it for Hatori-san but there's plenty if you want some,'' Tohru said.  
  
"What a considerate soul you are. Don't mind if I do,'' Ayame gaily said and dragged Tohru off to the kitchen.  
  
Shigure sought out the invalid. The sea horse lay almost hidden among the beddings. He pulled a chair next to the bed and sat down.  
  
It's our turn to take care of you Haa-san, he thought and looked at his sleeping friend. He wondered how the dragon caught a bad cold.  
  
After sleeping in damp clothing, Hatori woke up Wednesday with a slight fever. But he ignored it and went about his routine. On Valentine's Day, he couldn't get out of bed and transformed into his zodiac form. Ayame, who decided on a whim to drop by, found Hatori soon after.  
  
His hysterics alerted everyone in the main house. An annoyed Akito told the snake to shut up and call Shigure. He ordered them to get the dragon back on his feet as soon as possible.  
  
After making sure Ayame got a bowl of the porridge, Tohru looked for Hatori's room. She walked in carrying porridge, cold medicine and tea. She realized there was a problem when she looked at the sea horse.  
  
"Shigure-san, how are we supposed to feed him the leek porridge? His snout's too small."  
  
"How about using an eyedropper or a syringe sans needle?"  
  
"That might work with the medicine and the tea but the porridge could be a problem. I know, I'll make him a clear broth instead. If it's not too much trouble, can you look for an eyedropper or syringe while I make the soup?"  
  
He nodded and went searching for the doctor's bag.  
  
When Hatori woke up, he saw Shigure holding an eyedropper as Tohru entered with a bowl of chicken soup.  
  
"Good. You're awake. Let's get some food into you Haa-san."  
  
Hatori felt gentle hands lift him. Tohru's worried face came into view.  
  
"Hatori-san,'' she whispered and carefully ran a finger along his back several times. A blush appeared on the sea horse's face.  
  
"Oh no! Shigure-san! I think he's burning up with a fever!"  
  
He scrutinized the sea horse in her hands and nearly burst out laughing.  
  
"Tohru-kun. I suggest you stop petting Haa-san and feed him instead."  
  
The teen looked embarassed. She filled the eyedropper and carefully fed the sea horse. She followed that with the cold medicine then the tea. Tohru gently placed Hatori back on the bed and tucked him in.  
  
"Does he need to be in water?"  
  
"Not really. Haa-san isn't a real sea horse you know. When you first saw him transform, did he need water then?"  
  
"I thought he did. But I just moved him to a room and covered him with my jacket. Still, what if he gets dehydrated because of his illness?"  
  
"If it makes you feel better, why don't you give him a sponge bath," Shigure said with a twinkle in his eye.  
  
The sea horse glared at the now snickering dog. Oblivious to the joke, Tohru ran to the bathroom and was soon back with a wet face towel.  
  
"I was just kidding. Haa-san would kill me if you bathed him."  
  
"Oh."  
  
They gave Hatori another dose of the medicine after four hours. Later that night, Ayame claimed the living room couch while Shigure and Tohru slept on the bedroom floor. 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket and its characters are the property of Natsuki Takaya  
  
It was Tohru's habit to wake up early. Her companions were still asleep when she crawled out of her makeshift bed on the floor. She took a quick shower, brushed her teeth and changed into her school uniform. Then she tiptoed back into the room to check on their patient.  
  
He was no longer in his zodiac form which she took as a good sign. He must be feeling better, she thought as she studied the sleeping dragon's face. She found herself wondering if he looked better without those bangs always falling over one side of his face. Her hand reached out but she stopped herself in time. What was she thinking?, she chided herself.  
  
Her face was the first thing Hatori saw when he opened his eyes. He was content for awhile to drink in her features and get lost in those big blue-green eyes of hers. She broke the spell.  
  
"Umm Hatori-san? Would you like some breakfast and pajamas?"  
  
"I am hungry. There are pajamas in the drawers over there, can you get me a pair please?"  
  
In her eagerness, Tohru ran toward the drawers, forgetting that Shigure was sleeping on the floor. She tripped over him then landed on him. A puff of blue smoke later and she found herself looking at his doggy face.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!," she wailed.  
  
The dog just sighed. When Tohru continued to offer a stream of apologies, Shigure put a paw on her knee.  
  
"Tohru-kun. It was an accident. Don't go beating yourself up over it. Why were you in a hurry anyway?"  
  
"Hatori-san needs his pajamas," she said then jumped up and scurried over to the drawers to find said garment. She handed the dragon a pair of seagreen flannel pjs and quickly made her exit so he could dress himself.  
  
Her next goal was to make breakfast but it seemed she depleted the pantry after making the chicken soup last night. She stuck her head in Hatori's room.  
  
"Ano Hatori-san?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Well, you don't seem to have any food in your kitchen, not that it's your fault or anything. Most people get too busy to shop and you did get sick so ..."  
  
"I usually get my meals from the main house's kitchen. Shigure can show you where it is."  
  
Shigure came out of the bathroom, catching the tail end of the conversation. "Shall we go Tohru-kun?," he asked.  
  
She didn't want to be a burden on the maids so she insisted on helping with the cooking. Akito noticed how breakfast tasted different. He knew Tohru was at Hatori's house and wondered if she cooked the meal. Few things escaped Akito's attention. He decided to tolerate her presence in the estate until the family doctor was better.  
  
Hatori felt a pang of disappointment when Ayame and not Tohru carried in his breakfast.  
  
"Eat up Tori-san. You need to be up and about again. Akito-san is simply missing your presence."  
  
Ayame then launched into a tale about his shop and how fabulous it is. The dragon turned a deaf ear to his friend and tasted the miso soup.  
  
"Did we get a new cook?"  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Who made breakfast?"  
  
"Oh that. Our princess helped the servants with the cooking. Delicious, isn't it? Anyway as I was saying, business has simply been marvelous. Word about my great designs is spreading all over the region. People are realizing what talent I have!"  
  
Hatori tuned out Ayame and focused on eating.  
  
Tohru left the main house and headed to school. She called Shigure's house earlier and got Kyo. She asked if he and Yuki (he snorted in contempt at the name) ate breakfast already and if they could bring her bag to school. She'd meet them there.  
  
After hours of Ayame's stories and Shigure's teasing, Hatori promised himself he'd never get sick again. They wore him down. The two only stopped their babbling long enough to give him his medicine.  
  
Tohru wanted school to end quickly. She kept looking at the clock on the wall and fidgeted in her seat. When the bell rang, she grabbed Yuki and Kyo's hands and practically dragged them home. She didn't notice how both teens turned red.  
  
She made them dinner, packed all sorts of things in a bag and left. She stopped by the market on her way to the main house.  
  
Even Ayame and Shigure knew when to leave Hatori alone. He was in his office trying to get some work done. But it was hopeless. He was still weak and couldn't concentrate. A chill crept in the room. Hatori glanced at the window and saw snow falling. He thought of Kana and lapsed into a moody silence.  
  
Someone knocked on the door.  
  
"Go away Shigure. That goes double for you Ayame. I have work to do."  
  
"I didn't mean to interrupt you, Hatori-san," a hesitant voice reached his ears. Tohru.  
  
"Is there something you wanted Honda-kun? Come in."  
  
Tohru walked into the room with a tray.  
  
"I brought you dinner and your medicine. There's also a magazine in case you get bored."  
  
She placed the tray on his desk without looking at him and turned to leave.  
  
"Are you sleeping here tonight?"  
  
"Hai. Since it's Saturday tomorrow, I can leave later in the morning. Shigure-san and Ayame-san promised to stay with you until you're stronger."  
  
Just wonderful, Hatori thought. He wanted to ask why she couldn't stay longer but refrained from doing so. The cat and the rat probably already resented the time she spent here.  
  
"Aren't you cold, Hatori-san?"  
  
Tohru closed the curtains, adjusted the thermostat and left. She soon returned with a blanket she draped over his shoulders.  
  
"You musn't catch a chill. You're recovering from a cold. People underestimate colds."  
  
He heard from Yuki how her father died from what started out as a cold. To reassure her he wasn't on his deathbed yet, he pulled the tray toward him and noticed how bulky the magazine was. He opened it and saw a box of chocolates shaped like sea creatures. His eyes were drawn to the sea horse smack dab in the center of the box.  
  
His gaze went to Tohru who looked like she wanted to bolt from the room. Then he found his voice.  
  
"Is this for me?"  
  
"Uh... I was going to give them to you on Valentine's Day but you got sick."  
  
"It must have been a lot of work finding chocolates shaped like the Chinese zodiac."  
  
Tohru wanted the earth to swallow her up. She hadn't counted on being in the room when Hatori opened the magazine. She couldn't lie to save her life either.  
  
"It wasn't that hard really."  
  
"I thought you weren't supposed to buy us chocolates anymore? It's not that I don't appreciate the gift but I'm sure there are better things you could have spent your money on Honda-kun. Like school trips or shoes."  
  
Tohru thought Hatori was upset with her and blurted out an explanation.  
  
"But I didn't spend a lot of money. I only bought chocolates for you, Uo-chan and Hana-chan. So you see, it wasn't that big of an expense."  
  
What she said surprised Hatori. He was the only Sohma to get chocolates from her? He remembered the way she reacted when he squeezed her hand at Shigure's house. Hope rose in him. He decided to test his theory and approached her.  
  
"I didn't mean to sound ungrateful. Thank you for thinking of me ... Tohru-kun."  
  
He never used her first name before, Tohru thought as she turned beet red. The way he said it sounded beautiful to her.  
  
His spring had finally arrived but he knew Kyo and Yuki needed her more. He gave Tohru a sad smile then bent down and kissed her cheek. It was all for the best. His time with Kana was enough. But he couldn't find the strength to just walk away from her.  
  
"It's OK to say what you want once in a while. A good friend told me that.,'' Tohru said and looked at him. "What do you want, Hatori-san?"  
  
"You,'' he said simply and pulled her into a hug. Just before he transformed, he felt her hug him back.  
  
Blushing furiously, Tohru picked up the sea horse and kissed him softly. She cradled him to her chest.  
  
"And what I want ... is you.,'' she slowly said.  
  
THE END 


End file.
